“Who the Hell Is Making These Decisions”: Old Ferrari Crimes Come Back to Haunt Them as Mercedes & Red Bull Emerge as Realistic Title Contenders

Ferrari played Frankenstein when it built an unreliable beast that was constantly plagued by its strategy calls. The team went from bagging two wins in the first three races to scoring only four during the entire season. The 2022 season then saw two teams aiding Red Bull to win the championship. Away from the obvious, it was also Ferrari’s weak offense that made it such an easy ride for the reigning champions. An ex-F1 legend says that he was pained to see the most successful team making the most blunders.

The Ferrari strategy failure can become a ‘things not to do’ guide for teams who want to enter the Formula 1 circus. The horror show of slow pit stops and the choice of wrong tires constantly aided their opponents. At the Hungarian GP, where Verstappen had a grid penalty, the wrong tires on a Ferrari car took away his offense. Their lowest point was when in Brazil they sent Charles Leclerc out on full wets for a dry qualifying, or perhaps the time Sainz was being called to the pits when he was battling Sergio Perez during the French GP. Juan Pablo Montoya feels the blunders will be Ferrari’s undoing and that will leave flying space for teams like Red Bull and Mercedes who were on the other end of the strategy spectrum.

In an interview with Motorsport Netherlands, Montoya said, “Who the hell is making these decisions?’ It pains me to say that, because I know how difficult it is to make decisions under pressure.”

Questioning the people in charge, he continued, “But if the person in charge of strategy doesn’t make the right calls, then at some point you have to say, ‘We have to get someone else.’ However? And if the person responsible for the strategy is the right person, then they should be better supported in their work. In any case, something has to be done, because too many mistakes are being made.”

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From making intelligent strategy calls to making difficult ones in the hierarchy of drivers, Ferrari has to begin now or they might stand a chance of losing their golden boy.

Ferrari may lose Leclerc if they don’t make a tough call

While the new Ferrari TP, Frederic Vasseur, has been delaying the inevitable for as long as possible, the team has to pick a number one if they want to fight for the driver’s title. Their biggest rivals, Red Bull for starters, don’t make the same blunders, and to add to that have a clear-cut number 1 in Max Verstappen around whom even the strategies are formulated.

As quoted by PlanetF1, Peter Windsor believes that many, including Toto Wolff, will make a play for the Monegasque, whose contract is set to expire in 2024. Losing Leclerc is the last thing that the Maranello-based outfit wants, as he is a proven talent and, as Felipe Massa said, “One of the greatest on the grid today.”

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Either way, it is high time for Ferrari to buckle up and show the world why they are the most successful team in the history of Formula 1, or they may risk losing more than the championships.